Smart card and process for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a smart card in which a through-passage is produced in a central sheet. At least one face of the central sheet is provided with at least one metal coil having connection parts, and an electronic chip having electrical connection pads is inserted into the passage. At least some of the electrical connection pads of the chip are soldered to the connection parts of the coil, and the faces of the central sheet are provided with external covering sheets to form a stack of sheets. In a preferred method, the stack of sheets is hot pressed or laminated such that the material of the sheets is flowed and fills the space around the chip. A smart card is also provided. The smart card includes at least one metal coil having at least two connection parts, an electronic chip connected to the connection parts of the coil, a central sheet having a through-passage, and external covering sheets that grip the central sheet. The electronic chip is placed in the passage in the central sheet. In one preferred embodiment, the central sheet and the covering sheets form a single entity in which the chip and the coil are completely embedded.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for manufacturing a smart card, said method comprising the steps of: 
       producing a through-passage in a central sheet;  
       providing at least one face of the central sheet with at least one metal coil having connection parts that each intersect two opposed sides of the through-passage in the central sheet so as to extend completely across the through-passage;  
       inserting an electronic chip into the passage, the chip having electrical connection pads on at least one face;  
       soldering at least some of the electrical connection pads of the chip to the connection parts of the coil;  
       providing the faces of the central sheet with external covering sheets to form a stack of sheets; and  
       hot pressing or laminating the stack of sheets such that the material of the sheets is flowed and completely fills the space around the chip.  
     
     
       2. The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of embedding the chip and at least the connection parts of the coil in the material of at least one of the sheets of the stack. 
     
     
       3. The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein in the step of hot pressing or laminating, the central sheet and the covering sheets are made to form a single entity in which the chip and the coil are completely embedded. 
     
     
       4. The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the connection parts is a free end of the metal coil that traverses the through-passage in the central sheet and ends in the vicinity of the edge of the through-passage. 
     
     
       5. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for controlling at least one manufacturing machine in order to fabricate a smart card, said program containing instructions for performing the steps of: 
       producing a through-passage in a central sheet;  
       providing at least one face of the central sheet with at least one metal coil having connection parts that go past the passage;  
       inserting an electronic chip into the passage, the chip having electrical connection pads on at least one face;  
       soldering at least some of the electrical connection pads of the chip to the connection parts of the coil; and  
       providing the faces of the central sheet with external covering sheets to form a stack of sheets.  
     
     
       6. The machine-readable medium as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said program further contains instructions for performing the step of embedding the chip and at least the connection parts of the coil in the material of at least one of the sheets of the stack. 
     
     
       7. The machine-readable medium as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said program further contains instructions for performing the step of hot pressing or laminating the stack of sheets such that the material of the sheets is flowed and fills the space around the chip. 
     
     
       8. The machine-readable medium as defined in  claim 7 , wherein in the step of hot pressing or laminating, the central sheet and the covering sheets are made to form a single entity in which the chip and the coil are completely embedded. 
     
     
       9. A method for manufacturing a smart card, said method comprising the steps of: 
       producing a through-passage in a central sheet;  
       providing at least one face of the central sheet with at least one metal coil having connection parts that go past the passage;  
       inserting an electronic chip into the passage such that the chip is substantially contained within the passage in the central sheet, the chip having electrical connection pads on at least one face;  
       soldering at least some of the electrical connection pads of the chip to the connection parts of the coil; and  
       providing the faces of the central sheet with external covering sheets to form a stack of sheets.  
     
     
       10. The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing at least one face of the central sheet with at least one metal coil includes the sub-step of locating the connection parts of the metal coil such that each intersects two opposed sides of the through-passage in the central sheet so as to extend completely across the through-passage. 
     
     
       11. The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein each of the connection parts is a free end of the metal coil that traverses the through-passage in the central sheet and ends in the vicinity of the edge of the through-passage. 
     
     
       12. The method as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising the step of hot pressing or laminating the stack of sheets such that the material of the sheets is flowed and completely fills the space around the chip. 
     
     
       13. The method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein in the step of hot pressing or laminating, the central sheet and the covering sheets are made to form a single entity in which the chip and the coil are completely embedded. 
     
     
       14. The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the central sheet is at least substantially as thick as the chip. 
     
     
       15. The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the central sheet and the chip have substantially the same thickness. 
     
     
       16. The method as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising the step of embedding the chip and at least the connection parts of the coil in the material of at least one of the sheets of the stack. 
     
     
       17. A smart card comprising: 
       at least one metal coil having at least two connection parts;  
       an electronic chip connected to the connection parts of the coil;  
       a central sheet having a through-passage and the metal coil on one face, each of the connection parts of the metal coil intersecting two opposed sides of the through-passage in the central sheet so as to extend completely across the through-passage; and  
       external covering sheets that grip the central sheet,  
       wherein said smart card is manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:  
       producing the through-passage in the central sheet;  
       providing the one face of the central sheet with the metal coil;  
       inserting the electronic chip into the passage, the chip having electrical connection pads on at least one face;  
       soldering at least some of the electrical connection pads of the chip to the connection parts of the coil; and  
       covering the faces of the central sheet with the external covering sheets so as to form a stack of sheets.  
     
     
       18. The smart card as defined in  claim 17 , wherein each of the connection parts is a free end of the metal coil that traverses the through-passage in the central sheet and ends in the vicinity of the edge of the through-passage. 
     
     
       19. The smart card as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said smart card is manufactured by a method further comprising the step of hot pressing or laminating the stack of sheets such that the material of the sheets is flowed and completely fills the space around the chip. 
     
     
       20. The smart card as defined in  claim 19 , wherein in the step of hot pressing or laminating, the central sheet and the covering sheets are made to form a single entity in which the chip and the coil are completely embedded. 
     
     
       21. The smart card as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the chip is substantially contained within the passage in the central sheet. 
     
     
       22. The smart card as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the central sheet is at least substantially as thick as the chip. 
     
     
       23. The smart card as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said smart card is manufactured by a method further comprising the step of embedding the chip and at least the connection parts of the coil in the material of at least one of the sheets of the stack.